Fall at Dusk, Rise at Dawn
by Jose1400
Summary: AU. Azulaang. Takes place 6 years after the end of the war. Azula thinks about her relationship with Aang and her fear of what might happen in the future. Fluff and angst. Criticism is allowed but don't let it become a rant. Enjoy!


**Fall at Dusk, Rise at Dawn**

**By: Jose1400**

At the top of the Southern Air Temple stood a 20-year-old woman, the former princess of the once cruel Fire Nation. She's leaning on the railing looking at the sun setting on the horizon. It's been exactly 6 years since the war was over and she was tossed at the mental asylum, 5 years since her brother let her go from the asylum to find their mother, 3 years since she reconciles with everybody she ever hurt and . . . wait for it . . . 2 years since she gotten together with the Avatar himself.

Yes, Azula, once the cruel sadistic princess of the Fire Nation is happily together with Aang; the Last Airbender and current Avatar. When they got together it shocked everybody, literally everybody, as expected though, the first couple of months of their relationship was rough, mostly because Aang's friends were worried about Aang getting hurt from Azula. Even after she apologized and reconciled through her actions, but people still doubted her. Azula just shrugged it off and it never bothered her, but when she's alone or before Aang comes to bed at night, she lets everything go and cries. She scolds herself for being so weak, she scolds herself for falling in love with the Avatar, but she can't help it, Aang's kind and friendly nature is what rescued her and keeps her grounded and it keeps her from ever returning to the darkness.

Today marks their 2 year anniversary, even though she's happy, there is a feeling in the back of her head that everything that she's experienced from the last 2 years will be gone and she'll be alone again. Her actions from what she did back in the past; hurting and killing innocent people, her drive for power and control, still haunts her. She fears that Aang will up and leave her when he realizes who he's been with.

Tears start falling from her eyes when that thought crossed her mind. Over the years, she let her walls down, she's still the strong firebender that she was once, but she became more mellow and kind.

She quickly wiped her tears when she heard someone walking towards her; soon strong arms wrapped around her stomach and pulled her closer to the figure. Her dark thoughts were now gone and a smile was plastered on her face.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," replied Aang by her ear.

"What took you so long?" she asked, pretending to be angry.

Aang sighed, "Sokka,"

Azula just rolls her eyes, "What did the moron do this time,"

"Long story for another day, I just want to celebrate our 2 year anniversary with my girlfriend," replied Aang.

Azula deviously smirked and turned around to face Aang, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Well, because of the moron, we missed half the day, let's get into our celebration,"

"I'm in for that," replied Aang, he lean down to kiss Azula and she return it with a passion.

….

Azula quickly got dressed in a formal fashion dress, Aang as well dressed up in formal Airbender dress and he took her to the nearest town by the mountains which housed the best foods from all four nations. Aang and Azula enjoyed their dinner and took a small walk where Azula forgotten everything she thought earlier that day. When they returned, they had hours of passion in the bedroom, Aang fell asleep first while Azula stayed up and observed his calm face while he was sleeping. It was this time when Aang was sleeping where she felt more at peace, forgetting the world, her problems, and just rest and sleep beside the man she loves.

Love. That's a word that Azula never thought that she would ever use, maybe for tricking someone to get what she wants, but that was only fake. But this, this was real love and she love every second of it. She wouldn't trade this for anything, yes . . . even power.

She has change; she's not that person from the past, her darkness is still there, but with Aang, she can keep it contained.

She closed her eyes and snuggles closer to Aang, in which Aang tightens his hold around Azula, and she smiles.

….

Azula wakes up and sees that it's still dark, she rubs her eyes and looks next to her and sees that Aang is not there.

"Aang?" she calls out.

She gets out of bed and grabs her robe, she lights a blue fireball in her hand and starts to walk out towards the halls to find Aang.

"Aang, where are you?" she asked again.

She sighs and starts to run down the corridors.

"AANG! AANG WHERE YOU, PLEASE!" she shouted tears starting to form in her eyes.

She later arrives the courtyard and she sees everybody having fun; Zuko, Katara, Mai, Ty Lee, Iroh, Sokka, and Toph having fun, playing around the courtyard.

She stops and quickly went into cover, she survey the area to find Aang, but he was not with them. She sighs and turns around leaving them

"So has Aang finally left her?" asked Sokka. Azula stopped dead in her tracks when she heard Sokka say that. Everybody shook their heads 'no'. She quickly went back to cover near where they are so she could listen in.

Sokka wasn't very supportive of their relationship, she wasn't surprised when he asked that question, "Yeah, I'm getting worried for Twinkle Toes, I mean being together with her for 2 years? Now that's worrisome," said Toph.

Azula clenched her fists, she was sure Toph was now accepting their relationship . . . she thought wrong.

"I love Azula and I'm happy for her, but I'm worried that she will hurt Aang, I mean she craves for power, who's to say she hasn't stopped seeking it," Ty Lee said next. Azula's eyes widen, tears start forming in her eyes, her jaw clenched and her nails are digging into her skin about to draw blood.

Iroh sighs and sips tea from his cup, "Azula is getting better, letting people in, trusting them, but she still has darkness inside of her. One day it will be let lose again and I'm afraid that Aang will the greatest victim of the aftermath,"

Zuko then said, "I've warned Aang about her from the very beginning, I hope he's taken my advice into consideration, it's for the best,"

'THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!' Azula screamed inside her head. She then proceeded from leaving her hiding spot and faced them.

"A-A-Azula! W-what are you do-doing here?" asked Mai when she first noticed her and the recognizable smirk Azula had. Everybody then stood up and faced Azula.

Azula chuckled, "I just heard your conversation that you had and . . . I'm intrigued,"

That chuckled sent shivers down everybody's spine, "Azula, what did you hear?" asked Katara nervously.

"Hm . . . oh, I don't know just some parts of you guys saying how I'm not right for Aang," she said the last part through clenched teeth.

Zuko stepped up and said, "Listen Azula, it's not what you think, we're just worried about Aang that's all, I'm really happy that you found someone to care for you,"

She exploded in anger, blue flames were now appearing in the palm of her hands, "REALLY! YOU'RE HAPPY FOR ME THAT I FINALLY FOUND PEACE! AND YET, YOU SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT IT BEHIND MY BACK! I DON'T THINK THAT COUNTS ON BEING HAPPY FOR ME!"

Everybody started to back away slowly, Zuko was still in front of everybody and he was getting ready to get into a fighting position, "I-I finally found someone who accepts me and loves me, even after everything I've done. These past 2 years has been the best time of my life," Azula chokes out a sob in the final statement. She then glares back at them.

"Now . . . I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU PEOPLE!" she screams in anger and starts to attack Zuko.

Getting caught by surprise, Zuko was struggling on keeping up with Azula, she always seem faster every time she gets angry. She ducked down when he went for the punch, and then she came up with an uppercut to Zuko's jaw which caused him to stumble to the ground. Before she went to Zuko, she noticed everybody's worried, petrified looks on their faces. Azula stopped and her eyes widen, she looked down at her hands, 'What have I done,' she thought. Years of being in control were now gone, just because someone voiced their opinion about her.

She was backing away from everyone slowly with a saddened look on her face, Katara then quickly went over to Zuko to help him out.

"Azula,"

Azula stopped; she slowly turns around afraid to see him. Once she fully turned around and come face-to-face with Aang, her heart breaks at the expression he's giving her.

"A-A-Aang-Aang . . . please," she stammers out.

He walks towards Zuko and kneels next to him to see if he's okay. He later tells everybody to leave the courtyard so he can talk to Azula. Once everybody left, Azula is still grounded on the spot she's been standing on, shaking with fear on what might happen next.

"Azula . . . why, after everything . . . why?" Aang asked.

Azula opens her mouth, but nothing came out, this is really happening, the moment she feared for so long is happening. "Aang . . . please, I'm so sorry . . . I-I tried to control myself," she stammered out.

"Then why didn't you, huh? I thought you could control yourself, and getting angry just because someone said something you didn't like is no excuse Azula. You . . . you almost killed him," said Aang looking down at the ground when he said the last part.

Azula looked straight up, "I just uppercut him, how could I've possibly almost kill him?"

"The burns Azula? Didn't you see the burns you dealt onto him? Plus all the punches you threw at him, most importantly the one in the chest," Aang raised his voice.

Azula started to step back, "I-I . . ."

Aang sighs and said, "I love you Azula, but after this, I don't know if I can trust you anymore,"

"Wh-what . . . no-no please Aang . . . don't le-leave me," she struggled to say, tears starting to fall from her eyes.

"I'm sorry Azula, I love you, but I can't do this anymore if you can't control yourself and put my friends in danger," he said with tears forming in his eyes.

He started to walk back inside the temple while Azula kneels to the ground trying to comprehend what just happened. 'He left me, just like I feared,'

'He left me'

'He left me'

'HE LEFT ME!'

Azula looks back up at Aang's back; her eyes now show a fiery anger, 'He made me weak, he made me lose focus, he made me love, and love is a weakness! You will pay Avatar!' she screeches in her head. She stood up and sent a blue fireball and it made him stumble to the ground. She then proceeded to fight him, Aang hold back so he wouldn't hurt Azula, but Azula was going full force against him.

She then drove a punch that sent him spiraling in the air until he hit a wall; he then fell down a flight of stairs. Azula came down to check on him, but when she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw Aang's body motionless.

"GET UP AVATAR!" she screamed at him, but Aang didn't respond.

She went to his body and grabbed him by the collar, "I said GET UP!" but then she realized that his face was pale, eyes lifeless and body weightless.

She starts to panic a little, "Aang? Are you alright?"

Again he didn't respond, she puts him down and cradles him, "Aang please answer me," she said softly. She put her hand behind his neck, her breath hitch when she realized that it was broken, she then went to take his pulse and it confirmed her fear.

"No, no, no, please Aang you can't be dead. . . . I'm sorry Aang, I'm so sorry, please come back, come back to me," she pleaded tears now falling freely.

She starts to shake his body to get him to wake up, "Aang . . . I'm so sorry," she sobbed and lay her head on top of his head.

"I love you, I always will," she sobbed and pressed a kiss to his pale lips.

"AZULA!" Zuko screamed from the top of the stairs.

She looks up and sees everybody looking down at her, "What happen" Zuko demanded.

She starts to shake her head and stammers out, "I didn't mean it! It was an accident; please you have to believe me,"

"NO! Because you let your anger get the better of you, Aang is dead and it's on your hands," accused Zuko.

She starts to back away slowly, then they start to go after her and she starts running hoping to outrun them and hide. After living at the temple for 2 years, she knows where everything is. She ran in circles taking different halls to lose them, and then when she was confident that she lost them, she hid in one of the rooms.

She then stumbles to the ground and sobbed silently, "Aang . . . I'm so sorry, please forgive me," she whispered. She lost the one person who loved her and it was her fault.

After a couple of hours, she was confident that they stopped searching for her, she leaves the room and strides to Aang's room to pack her stuff up and leave, there's nothing for her here anymore.

Soon she hears a maniacal laughter down the halls, it sound like a crazy clown, but she knows it belongs to her father, the former Fire Lord; Ozai.

She runs until a shadowy figure of Ozai appears right in front of her.

"You've done well my daughter, the Avatar is dead and now you have an opportunity to seize the throne again, become the Fire Lord you were always meant to be," he said.

Azula stood firm and said, "No. . . . Because of you I became a monster, because of you I lost Aang,"

Ozai laughed with that same maniacal laughter of a clown, "He made you weak, the real you did what was necessary for the Fire Nation,"

Azula backed up for a second, 'What if he's right? What if I killed him if that's who I really am,' she thought.

Ozai then went and grabbed her by the neck, choking her in the process, "Because you won't do what I command of you, then you'll join your lover in the dead," he later proceeded to stab her.

….

Azula is abruptly woken up from her nightmare, she was sweating and breathing heavily, she pulls the blanket close to her naked body while she shakes in fear. She looked at the body next to her, she sighs in relieved. She would be broken if anything happen to him even if it was by her own hand.

She reached for her robe and slips out of bed, careful not to wake Aang up. She went to the balcony where she was yesterday before she and Aang left for their anniversary. She leans on the railings and everything she remembered from the dream came back to her in an emotional wave. She starts sobbing and she drops to her knees.

'Why am I like this? It was just a dream. . . . But it felt so real . . . Aang . . . I thought I lost him,' Azula thought.

'Am I really that unstable, but . . . I haven't had an episode in years, but every time I get angry, I just to let everything go,' she though.

After an hour of debating, she reaches a decision, but it will hurt and destroy her.

"Azula?" Aang asks. She open her eyes and looks to her side and sees Aang, dressed in robes as well with a worried look on his face.

Azula quickly wipes her tears and says, "I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep . . . sorry if I woke you,"

"Is everything alright?" asked Aang.

She turns to face him and forced a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine,"

Aang sighed; he walked up to her, engulfed her in a hug and put his forehead against hers, "I know that's not true. So please tell me what's wrong, I'm here for you," he whispered.

She closes her eyes and a tear falls from her eyes, "It-it . . . it was just a bad dream, but . . . it felt so real,"

"Tell me about it," Aang suggested stroking her hair.

Azula pulls back gently and faced the horizon, "Everybody was in the courtyard down below, they were talking about me and . . . I just exploded. You came in and stop me from killing Zuko and after that you-you . . . you broke up with me," the tears came back.

"Azula . . ." Aang began, but Azula continued.

"I was angry; angry at myself, at my father, and at you. So I attacked you and I went in full force, but you hold back. Then . . . I killed you . . . after one of my attacks you fell down a flight of stairs and you broke your neck," she started to sob.

As soon as Aang's hand touched her shoulder, she turned around and buried her face into his chest and cried. He put his chin on top of her head and was stroking her hair soothingly.

"It's ok, I'm here now, I won't leave you Azula, I love you," Aang whisper to her.

She chokes back a sob and said, "And I love you . . . and that's why I have to leave you,"

"Now who's breaking up," Aang jokingly said, grinning.

"I'm not kidding," Azula said in confident. She looked up at him straight to his eyes.

"Aang . . . I love you, but if I stay . . . I-I . . . One day someone will say or do something that will drive me over the edge and do something. One day I might hurt you or even worse kill you . . . and if anything happens to you that was caused by me then . . . I'll never forgive myself," she said.

Aang sighs, "Azula . . .,"

"No . . . just no Aang . . . I . . ." Azula interrupted him, but before she finished he interrupted her.

"No Azula, you might believe that you're dangerous, but I don't. These past couple of years has done well to you, you've gotten better, you've started to accept people, and you've mellow out. You've opened yourself up to me and I'm grateful for it. You don't have to worry about anything; I know you won't explode in anger because you're strong. You're strong enough to control yourself, and you don't have to worry about me, I'm the Avatar," he said the last part with cockiness, hoping that Azula would react to that.

"But in my dream . . ." she started but Aang interrupted her again

"Your dream is just displaying what you fear might happen. That was just fear telling you what might happen, but I can assure you it won't," he said firmly.

She looked down and said barely above a whisper, "But it felt so real,"

He brought her head up to look at him, "Most dreams do, but you know what else is real?" he asked. She shook her head.

"This . . ." he then lean to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist.

After about a minute, they broke the kiss and Azula was flush by it, ". . . this, our relationship is real, our love is real," he said while interlocking their hands together.

"And I won't give you up without a fight, if you still decide to leave just know that I'll be the one to chase you around the world until you're mine," he declared.

She sighs and brings her hands to his face, "How did I get so lucky?"

"I don't know, you're the one who wanted me in the first place, I mean I do have good looks," he said with his signature grin.

She laughs the one he loves to hear. His hold around her waist tightens as he said, "There's my girl,"

She leans to kiss him again and both stay like that for 2 minutes. She broke the kiss and puts her forehead on his, "I love you Aang, so much," she declared.

"I love you too Azula, I always will," he promised.

She smiled and kissed him again, both stay like that for a while until they noticed the first light of the sun peaking over the horizon. They turned to face towards it still holding each other; they look out onto the horizon and look upon the light of a new day.

Azula and Aang's relationship change then and there, with Azula thoughts and fears plaguing her since the beginning, she finally fell at dusk and succumbed to her fears. But with the help of the love of her life, she has risen anew. No fears to hold her back now with her relationship with Aang, she is finally free to move forward without the fear of being left alone again. She's a true Phoenix Queen.

* * *

**Well, this is my first Azulaang fic, I hope everybody enjoyed it, this has not been beta so any mistakes is mine and mine alone. **

**I also want to encourage everybody to start and writing/drawing Azulaang, I know it's not a popular ship nor a big ship, but they are people who like to read it(like me) so let's give them the enjoyment of Azulaang. PM if you need any Azulaang prompts.**

**I've hidden an easter egg in the story, comment or PM me if you think you found it. **

**Disclaimer- I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, they belong to Nickelodeon and Bryan and Michael**


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